Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,

To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a] in Christ:

Grace(D) and peace to you from God our Father.[b](E)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We always thank God,(F) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love(G) you have for all God’s people(H) the faith and love that spring from the hope(I) stored up for you in heaven(J) and about which you have already heard in the true message(K) of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit(L) and growing throughout the whole world(M)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras,(N) our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister(O) of Christ on our[d] behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.(P)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,(Q) we have not stopped praying for you.(R) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will(S) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e](T) 10 so that you may live a life worthy(U) of the Lord and please him(V) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,(W) 11 being strengthened with all power(X) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,(Y) 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,(Z) who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance(AA) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.(AB) 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness(AC) and brought us into the kingdom(AD) of the Son he loves,(AE) 14 in whom we have redemption,(AF) the forgiveness of sins.(AG)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image(AH) of the invisible God,(AI) the firstborn(AJ) over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created:(AK) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(AL) all things have been created through him and for him.(AM) 17 He is before all things,(AN) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(AO) of the body, the church;(AP) he is the beginning and the firstborn(AQ) from among the dead,(AR) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased(AS) to have all his fullness(AT) dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile(AU) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,(AV) by making peace(AW) through his blood,(AX) shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies(AY) in your minds(AZ) because of[g] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled(BA) you by Christ’s physical body(BB) through death to present you(BC) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation(BD) 23 if you continue(BE) in your faith, established(BF) and firm, and do not move from the hope(BG) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,(BH) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.(BI)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice(BJ) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,(BK) for the sake of his body, which is the church.(BL) 25 I have become its servant(BM) by the commission God gave me(BN) to present to you the word of God(BO) in its fullness— 26 the mystery(BP) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known(BQ) among the Gentiles the glorious riches(BR) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,(BS) the hope of glory.

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing(BT) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,(BU) so that we may present everyone fully mature(BV) in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously(BW) contend(BX) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 4:15.
  2. Colossians 1:2 Some manuscripts Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
  3. Colossians 1:7 Or slave
  4. Colossians 1:7 Some manuscripts your
  5. Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding
  6. Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us
  7. Colossians 1:21 Or minds, as shown by

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

(A)Paul, (B)an apostle of Christ Jesus [a](C)by the will of God, and (D)Timothy [b]our brother,

To the [c](E)saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: (F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

(G)We [d]give thanks to God, (H)the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, (I)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the (J)love which you have [e]for (K)all the [f]saints; because of the (L)hope (M)reserved for you in [g]heaven, of which you previously (N)heard in the word of truth, [h]the gospel which has come to you, just as [i](O)in all the world also it is bearing (P)fruit and [j]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you (Q)heard it and [k]understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from (R)Epaphras, our (S)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your (T)love in the Spirit.

For this reason we also, (U)since the day we heard about it, (V)have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the [l](W)knowledge of His will in all spiritual (X)wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will (Y)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, [m](Z)to please Him in all respects, (AA)bearing fruit in every good work and [n]increasing in the [o]knowledge of God; 11 (AB)strengthened with all power, according to [p]His glorious might, [q]for the attaining of all perseverance and [r]patience; (AC)joyously 12 giving thanks to (AD)the Father, who has qualified us [s]to share in (AE)the inheritance of the [t]saints in (AF)light.

The Incomparable Christ

13 [u]For He rescued us from the [v](AG)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of [w](AH)His beloved Son, 14 (AI)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 [x]He is the (AJ)image of the (AK)invisible God, the (AL)firstborn of all creation: 16 for [y](AM)by Him all things were created, (AN)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether (AO)thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—(AP)all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [z](AQ)is before all things, and in Him all things [aa]hold together. 18 He is also the (AR)head of (AS)the body, the church; and He is (AT)the beginning, (AU)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For [ab]it was (AV)the Father’s good pleasure for all (AW)the [ac]fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to (AX)reconcile all things to Himself, (AY)whether things on earth or things in [ad]heaven, having made (AZ)peace through (BA)the blood of His cross.

21 And although you were (BB)previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now (BC)reconciled you in His (BD)body of flesh through death, in order to (BE)present you before Him (BF)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in [ae]the faith firmly (BG)established and steadfast, and not shifting from the (BH)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed (BI)in all creation under heaven, (BJ)and of which I, Paul, [af]was made a [ag](BK)minister.

24 (BL)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh (BM)I am supplementing what is lacking [ah]in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of (BN)His body, which is the church. 25 (BO)I [ai]was made a minister of this church according to the (BP)commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might [aj]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, (BQ)the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His [ak]saints, 27 to whom (BR)God willed to make known what (BS)the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is (BT)Christ in you, the (BU)hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, (BV)admonishing every person and teaching every person [al]with all (BW)wisdom, so that we may (BX)present every person [am](BY)complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose I also (BZ)labor, (CA)striving (CB)according to His [an]power which [ao]works mightily within me.

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 1:1 Lit through
  2. Colossians 1:1 Lit the
  3. Colossians 1:2 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  4. Colossians 1:3 Or always give...praying for you
  5. Colossians 1:4 Or toward
  6. Colossians 1:4 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  7. Colossians 1:5 Lit the heavens
  8. Colossians 1:5 Or of the gospel
  9. Colossians 1:6 Or it is in all the world also, bearing
  10. Colossians 1:6 Or spreading abroad
  11. Colossians 1:6 Or came to fully know
  12. Colossians 1:9 Or real knowledge
  13. Colossians 1:10 Lit unto all pleasing
  14. Colossians 1:10 Or growing by the knowledge
  15. Colossians 1:10 Or real knowledge
  16. Colossians 1:11 Lit the might of His glory
  17. Colossians 1:11 Lit unto all
  18. Colossians 1:11 Or patience with joy
  19. Colossians 1:12 Lit unto the portion of
  20. Colossians 1:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  21. Colossians 1:13 Lit Who rescued
  22. Colossians 1:13 Lit authority
  23. Colossians 1:13 Lit the Son of His love
  24. Colossians 1:15 Lit Who is
  25. Colossians 1:16 Or in
  26. Colossians 1:17 Or has existed prior to
  27. Colossians 1:17 Or endure
  28. Colossians 1:19 Or all the fullness was pleased to dwell
  29. Colossians 1:19 I.e., fullness of deity
  30. Colossians 1:20 Lit the heavens
  31. Colossians 1:23 Or in faith
  32. Colossians 1:23 Lit became
  33. Colossians 1:23 Or servant
  34. Colossians 1:24 Lit of
  35. Colossians 1:25 Lit became
  36. Colossians 1:25 Lit make full the word of God
  37. Colossians 1:26 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  38. Colossians 1:28 Lit in
  39. Colossians 1:28 Or perfect
  40. Colossians 1:29 Lit working
  41. Colossians 1:29 Lit in power

問安

奉 神旨意作基督耶穌使徒的保羅,和提摩太弟兄, 寫信給在歌羅西的聖徒,和在基督裡忠心的弟兄。願恩惠平安從我們的父 神臨到你們。

為歌羅西信徒感謝 神

我們為你們祈禱的時候,常常感謝 神我們主耶穌基督的父, 因為聽見你們在基督耶穌裡的信心,和對眾聖徒的愛心。 這都是由於那給你們存在天上的盼望,這盼望是你們從前在福音真理的道上聽過的。 這福音傳到你們那裡,也傳到全世界;你們聽了福音,因著真理確實認識了 神的恩典之後,這福音就在你們中間不斷地結果和增長,在全世界也是一樣。 這福音也就是你們從我們親愛的、一同作僕人(“僕人”或譯:“執事”)的以巴弗那裡學到的。他為你們作了基督忠心的僕役, 也把你們在聖靈裡的愛心告訴了我們。

保羅的祈禱

因此,我們從聽見的那天起,就不停地為你們禱告祈求,願你們藉著一切屬靈的智慧和悟性,可以充分明白 神的旨意, 10 使你們行事為人對得起主,凡事蒙他喜悅;在一切善事上多結果子,更加認識 神; 11 依照他榮耀的大能得著一切能力,帶著喜樂的心,凡事忍耐寬容; 12 並且感謝父,他使你們有資格分享聖徒在光明中的基業。 13 他救我們脫離了黑暗的權勢,把我們遷入他愛子的國裡。 14 我們在愛子裡蒙了救贖,罪得赦免。

基督在萬有之上

15 這愛子是那看不見的 神的形象,是首先的,在一切被造的之上。 16 因為天上地上的萬有:看得見的和看不見的,無論是坐王位的,或是作主的,或是執政的,或是掌權的,都是本著他造的;萬有都是藉著他,又是為著他而造的。 17 他在萬有之先;萬有也一同靠著他而存在。 18 他是身體的頭,這身體就是教會。他是元始,是死人中首先復生的,好讓他在凡事上居首位; 19 因為 神樂意使所有的豐盛都住在愛子裡面, 20 並且藉著他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平,使萬有,無論是地上天上的,都藉著他與 神和好了。

21 雖然你們從前也是和 神隔絕,心思上與他為敵,行為邪惡, 22 但現今 神在愛子的肉身上,藉著他的死,使你們與 神和好了,為了要把你們這些聖潔、無瑕疵、無可指摘的人,呈獻在他面前。 23 只是你們要常存信心,根基穩固,不受動搖偏離福音的盼望。這福音你們聽過了,也傳給了天下萬民;我保羅也作了這福音的僕役。

竭力傳揚 神的奧祕

24 現在我為你們受苦,我覺得喜樂;為了基督的身體,就是為了教會,我要在自己的肉身上,補滿基督苦難的不足。 25-26 我照著 神為你們而賜給我的管家職分,作了教會的僕役,要把 神的道,就是歷世歷代隱藏的奧祕,傳得完備。現在這奧祕已經向他的眾聖徒顯明了。 27  神願意使他們知道這奧祕在外族人中有多麼榮耀的豐盛,這奧祕就是基督在你們裡面成了榮耀的盼望。 28 我們傳揚他,是用各樣的智慧,勸戒各人,教導各人,為了要使各人在基督裡得到完全。 29 我也為了這事勞苦,按著他用大能在我心中運行的動力,竭力奮鬥。